A Brighter Day Begins with His Word.

PUBLIC-DOMAIN CHRISTIAN BOOK

The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Kings

Joseph Hammond [1839-1912] · 502,085 words · 545 reading sections

SECTION 61

The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Kings — Section 61

IV. THAT WE OUGHT TO LOVE THOSE WHO LOVE GoD, DESPITE THEIR IGNORANCES, tNFIRMITIES, AND IMPERFECTIONS. If the Eternal Love overlooks our" only," sw-ely we onght to overlook the" only" of others. ,ve may regret their views, we may ihink them unsotmd in the faith, we ma.y la.ment their superstition, their le.ck oJ "swee…

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SECTION 62

The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Kings — Section 62

III. LIKE AIUz, MANY SAY, "I wn.L NOT ABK." They will not believe in the wonderful charity of God. To some it seems too good to be troe. But many have no room for God's gifts. Their heart is full alrea.dy. "No room for Him in the inn." IY. LIKE SOLOMON, LET us ASK THE BEST GIFTS, That is an instructive fable which tel…

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SECTION 63

The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Kings — Section 63

HOMILIES BY VARIOUS Al;JTHORS. Vers. 8-16; iv. 2-84.-The prayer of Solomon and its fulfilme>it. "Ask what I shall give thee." THE PRAYER OF SOLOMON IS THE TYPE OF TRUE PRAYER, ,ve learn from it (1) The power of prayer; (2) The condition on which it ie granted; (8) Its result. I. THE PoWER. "Prayer," said Adolphe M…

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SECTION 64

The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Kings — Section 64

standing heart to judge," &c. Thie was the virtue of Solomon's prayer-it craved a moral rather than mere circumstantial, or even intellectual, endowment. He had the wisdom of the man of science, the "minute philosopher" (see chap. iv. 38). But higher wisdom was wanted for higher work-for guiding and governing the peopl…

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SECTION 65

The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Kings — Section 65

' he selected Solomon, their youngest imd gentlest brother, to be king over one of tht! richest kingdoms in the world, and to rule His own people in the time of their greatest prosperity. It may be that some lads here, who are little thought of, mo.y become the l~aders of a_ nation to a nobler life, the teachers of…

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SECTION 66

The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Kings — Section 66

God does not do thiR, If He did, many of us would ignorantly ask for foolish things. We do not know what we shall be doing or wanting even to-morrow. If you were going abroad and did not know for what country you were des- tined, nor even whether H we.a hot or cold, civilized or uncivilized, it would not be wfae to pro…

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SECTION 67

The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Kings — Section 67

. ~I_. SOLEMNITY. The young king seemed overwhelmed with a sense of respon• sibility. He was about to succeed a father renowned as a waITior, as a statesman, as a poet, as a ruler of men. He was about to rule a numerous and prosperous people, who bad been specially declared to be the Lord's, so that he would be henc…

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SECTION 68

The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Kings — Section 68

sought, and the peace and prosperity of his kingdom (eh. iv. 25) arose from the fact that God gave it him. To ask God to make us wise and capable for the sake of others, is a prayer consonant with His will. Unselfishness is commended and exalted under the new dispensation as it never was under the old. Christ Himself c…

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SECTION 69

The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Kings — Section 69

Ver. 16.-Then ea.me there two women instance on the spur of the moment, in order tha.t were ha.riots [The Jewish writ.era here, to a.void the reproe.ch of he.ving killed her as in the case of Ra.h&b (Josh. ii. 1), offspring by her clumsiness and negleot, she would understand "hostess," "inn-keeper" found it di.flicu…

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SECTION 70

The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Kings — Section 70

HOMILETICS. ' Ver. 28. - Solomon's Judgment a Foreshadowing of the Judgment to come. Again we see in Solomon a type of the true " Son of David.'' The arraignment of the two harlots is an adumbration of the "great assize." This striking scene- t)J.e young king sitting on his throne, probably in a void place at the gate…

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SECTION 71

The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Kings — Section 71

be condemned." The Son of Man sh11ll " mo.ke ma,nifest tho counsels of the heart." IV. THE REWARD AND PUNISHMENT. To the one the tribunal brought justifi- cation, joy, peace. To the other, condemnation, she.me, contempt. But notioe especially (1) the d(fference it made in their emotions and (2) the difference in t…

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SECTION 72

The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Kings — Section 72

clamour for the life of a puling and innocent babe. No, if we are to get at the very root of her stmnge and shameful conduct, we must first ask another question, viz., What led her to steal this child from its mother's arms and to claim it for her own? What induced her when she woke in the night and found her own child…

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SECTION 73

The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Kings — Section 73

EXPOSITION. CHAPTER IV. 1-19. much stress, however, must not be laid on this consideration, e.s the girls of the East SOLOMON'S ST.I.TE AND COU"BT OFFICIALS.- marry early, and these may well have been The account of Solomon's marriage and given to officers much their seniors, who had entry upon his religious e.b.d …

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SECTION 74

The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Kings — Section 74

ministers, officers. Cf. 2 Se.m. viii. 15-18, considere.tions : (1) All the versions tranf' • e.nd xx. 23-26] which he had, Aza.rta.h the late the word by "priest," i.e., they under- son [i.e., deBCende.nt, probe.bly grandaon. stand by the term a. spiritual person. (2) See on 1 Chron. vi. 10] of Zadok the priest. ~a.te…

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SECTION 75

The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Kings — Section 75

recorded (ver. 4) because they were high to office (Clericus). Theodoret remarks priests for a brief period of the reign, but quite truly, r,lv apx,)v a</)i1Aaro, oii riit lEpw- Az&riah is mentioned first as " the priest" 1111.,,,,; ly11µvw11Ev, and similarly Grotius. But because he was high priest during most of a …

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SECTION 76

The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Kings — Section 76

o~hers, i.e., superintendents. The term is Ver. 11.-The son of Abinadab [Ben used of Doeg (1 Sam. x.xii. 9). They were ..4 binadab. Possibly the Abinadab of 1 Sam. twelve, not because of the twelve tribes, but xvi. 8 ; xvii. 13. If so, this officer, who the twelve months] over all Israel, which married Solomon's daugh…

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SECTION 77

The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Kings — Section 77

variations in spelling are again to be noticed). scendants, it is not surprising th,e.t the judge's Here Solomon cast the Temple vessels. By s01;1s should possess some of the villages of some it is identified with Kum Se.rte.heh (but Jarr], which are 1n Gilea.d; to him also per- see Quart: Stat. of Pal. Explor. Fund…

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SECTION 78

The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Kings — Section 78

ln Iasachar. [He had consequently the justified in translating io~ ::l'~? "he was the plain of Esdraelon, with the exception men- first (i.e., superior), officer" (set over those tioned e.bove, ver. 12.] mentioned above, vers. 13, 14), as Schulze. Ver.18.-Sh1me1 the son of Elah [by some ir:,i:, is used e.s e.n ordinal…

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SECTION 79

The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Kings — Section 79

III. MANY PLACES ARE FILLED BY THE FUNCTIONARIES OF HIS FATHER (vers. 8, 4, 6, and cf. ver. 16). An Eastern autocrat generally appoints his associates of the harem (ell. xii. 10), llis personal favourites, to positions of trust. Solomon showed his wisdom in retain~g the faithfyl servants of llis predecessor (compare th…

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SECTION 80

The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Kings — Section 80

witnesses unto me .. unto the uttermost part of the earth." Judaism was a tribal religion; the faith of Christ is for humanity. IV. THEIR RESPECTIVE FUNCTIONS. 1. The twevve officl'lrs were receivers-general; the twevve apostles were general givers. The first took from the people to give to the king : the latter recei…

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SECTION 81

The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Kings — Section 81

EXPOSITION. CHAPTER IV. 20-34. with the greatness of the kingdom. The lavish provision of Oriental palaces was SOLOMON'S RULE, STATE, AND WISDOM.- evidently a, subject of wonder and of boast- The remainder of this chapter, which de- ing to the ancients, as the inscriptions and scribes to us the extent and charac…

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SECTION 82

The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Kings — Section 82

1. 10, 11; Josh. ix. 1, &c.; of the east in tll.1/i1".l!.< for il.ll~"'.1~)- For (1) in the Num. xxii. 1; xxxii. 82; "and even in the parallel p1.18sage in Chronicles the number same chapter is used first of one and then is stated as 4000. (2) 4000 agrees, and of the other Dent. iii. 8, 20, 25 " (Spk. 40,000 does not, …

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SECTION 83

The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Kings — Section 83

is not in the Hebrew. The LXX. and Vulg. It is very doubtful whether the names men- supply" king" (the verb is singular," was"). tioned presently are those of contempore.ries] But the true meaning is to be gathered from than Ethan the Ezra.hite, and Beman, a.nd chap. x. 26. There we learn that the horses Cb.a.lcol, and…

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SECTION 84

The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Kings — Section 84

Epbraimite in 1 Sam. i. 1, because in bis the Egyptians, ver. 20], from the cedar tree oivil co.po.city he wo.e incorporated into the that 1s In Lebanon [A favourite illustration. tribe of Ephraim " (Keil). It must be ad- The Jews had a profound admiration for all mitted, however, tbo.t the natural interpre- trees, and…

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SECTION 85

The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Kings — Section 85

the dust'' (ver. 9), for" we see not yet all things put under Him," but we know that all power is giYen to Him in heaven and in earth (Matt. xxvili. 18) and that "the kingdoms of this world " shall " become the kingdoms of our Lord ;nd of his Christ" (Rev. xi. 15). 2. Its duration. Solomon's was a long reign and would …

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SECTION 86

The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Kings — Section 86

knowledge, but Solomon W!l,B distingnished in all. He could discourse with equal profundity of the cedD,r and the hyssop, of beast and bird. It was lofty, it was wide, it was deep. IV. IT WAS TRUE WISDOM. Not superficial, and not mere book learning. Book, worms are often mere pedants. Students often know little of the…

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SECTION 87

The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Kings — Section 87

HOMILIES BY VARIOUS AUTHORS. Vers. 20-25.-.A Prosperous Reign. This chapter presents a general view of the prosperity of Solomon's reign, much of which was owing to the extraordinary glory of the reign of David. Such a rule as David's sowed seeds of blessing in the land -which it was Solomon's privilege to reap. Da…

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SECTION 88

The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Kings — Section 88

1), and in his treaty with Hiram, king of Tyre (eh. v.) This was the secret of Solomon's influence. As far as we can judge, it was not so much the result of overmastering force, but of a policy by which the bonds of mutual confidence and helpfulness were strengthened. We are reminded that this is the real stability o…

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SECTION 89

The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Kings — Section 89

ma.kes differences between ns in our natural tastes and capacities is seen in this, thrtt it is on the one l'itnd a blessing to society, enabling all spheres of life to be filled, and on the ofo.er a means of culture to character, by calling forth our sym- pathy, our forbea1ance, and our generosity in rejoicing over…

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SECTION 90

The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Kings — Section 90

thorns and nettles, and shows how looking on it he "received instruction," and w0,ming against sloth. 8. Again turn to Proverbs xxiii. 82, wher8, spea~ing of intoxicating drink, he says, "at last it biteth like a serpent, and stingeth like an adder." It was in this way he referred to the animals and plants aronnd him. …

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SECTION 91

The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Kings — Section 91

,il ,¥~Q, the fortress of, or fortified Tyre donble a.ccusa.tive) which is justified by Ps11. (Josh. iix. 29; 2 Sa.m. xxiv. 7, &o.) The cix. 3) until the Lord put them under the oa.pita.l of Phcsnicia.. In e&rlier times, Sidon soles of h1s feet [until, i.e., He trampled would seem to ha.ve been the more import- them…

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SECTION 92

The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Kings — Section 92

that he only a.eked Hiram for artificers All that is certain is that he believed the ("that they hew me cedar trees," &c.) is Lord, as did most ancient nations (" Der nego.tived by ver. 10. It is true that "all Polytheinnw ist nicht awschiesslich. Bahr), Lebo.non" was given to Israel (Josh. xiii. 5), to be one of the g…

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SECTION 93

The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Kings — Section 93

Halepmsi.s, not, as was formerly thought, Lebo.non. Others identify it with the juni- the Scotch fir (Pinus sylvestris), is intended. per (Juniperus excelsa) or with the Pinus The Cednt,S Libani appears to be indiffer- Ilalepe~u, but most writers (among whom ently adapted to any such purpose, fol' are Keil and Bahr) …

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SECTION 94

The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Kings — Section 94

thou ahalt appoint [Heb. send] me [In 2 obtained by pounding the olives, when not Ohron. ii. 16, Hirnm assumes that this quite ripe, in a mortar. Tb.is was both of place will be Joppa, now Yitfo, the port of whiter colour and purer flavour, and also Jerusalem, nnd 40 miles distant from the gave a clearer light, than th…

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SECTION 95

The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Kings — Section 95

10; xvii. 13 ; Juclg. i. 29, 30). In l Chron. Israelites, whilst in Kings it ie one of status, x:xii. 2, we find some of them employed on i.e., 3,300 inferior and 660 superior officers. public works by David. By the " hewers" It follows consequently that all the inferior me.ny co=entators have supposed that and 300 …

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SECTION 96

The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Kings — Section 96

HOMILETICS. Vere. 7-12 compared with eh. xvi. 81 and eh. xvili. 4. Tyre and Israel-a lesson on personal influence. Twice in the history of Israel were its relations with the neighbouring kingdom of Tyre close and intimate. Twice did the Phceni- cian race exercise an important influence on the Hebrew people. In the day…

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SECTION 97

The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Kings — Section 97

ISRAEL, i.e., WERE DUE TO THE PIETY OF DAVID, 11 Hiram was eve1· a lover of David." The timber he supplied for the temple was not the first he had sent (2 Sam. v. 11). The league between the two kings (1 Kings v. 12), o.nd their joint undertakings (eh. v. 18; ix. 27), were the fruits of David's righteous dealings. …

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SECTION 98

The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Kings — Section 98

Ver. 17.-Swre Foundations. No city in the world has experienced so many vicissitudes as " the city of the Great King." The place of the "vision of peace" (or, "foundation of peace'') has known no peace. It ha.s been sixteen times taken by siege since our blessed Lord's day, and conqueror after conqueror has cried, " Ra…

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SECTION 99

The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Kings — Section 99

HOMILIES BY VARIOUS AUTHORS. Vere. 2-6.-Tke Temple. Read also 2 Chron. ii.1-10, where additional light is thrown on this transaction. It marks a period of extreme interest and importance in Hebrew history. It introduces us, by anticipation, to that which was the crowning glory of the reign of Solomon, for his name mus…

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SECTION 100

The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Kings — Section 100

worship, connected both with the te,bernacle e,t Gideon e,n.i the ark in the oity of De,vid (1 Chron. xvi. 37-39). But in future all saored e.ssociations are to be gathered up in the central glory of the Temple. One nation, one faith, one God, one se,nctuary. But this localize,tion of the highest forms of worship he,d …

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SECTION 101

The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Kings — Section 101

by Old Testament history. Suggest from this the responsibilities and the perils aocruing to ue ae o. Christian people, from the fact that our own destinies are so interwoven with distant and heathen nations. Allude to the fearlessness of Scriptn'l'a in ascribing what is good and commendable to those whom the Jews gener…

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SECTION 102

The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Kings — Section 102

EXPOSITION. CHAPTER VL 1-38. ix. 34; see Stanley, "Jewish Church," ii. p. 193), being probably mere attempts to SoLOHoN's TEMPLE.-The preparations for "twist Jerush&laim into a shape which the building of the Temple having been should be intelligible to Greek ears" (Diet. rela.ted in the preceding chapter, the his…

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SECTION 103

The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Kings — Section 103

first requisite for every space and structure Irion" (Romberg and Steger, quoted in Bahr, which has a higher and Divine destination, "Bibelwerk," p. 49). And the difficulty is o.nd they impo.rt thereto the signature of enhanced by the fact that the temple Wl!,8 the Divine" (Bahr). Indeed the very names mi generis. I…

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SECTION 104

The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Kings — Section 104

berea that the prophet himself speaks of were exactly double those of the tabernaole, bis temple as seen in vi.sion (eh. xl. 2; xliii. as the following ~ble will show :- 2, 3). The true account of this portraiture would therefore seem to be that, while it TABERNACLE, TEMPLE, borrowed largely from the plan and propo…

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SECTION 105

The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Kings — Section 105

Bymbolik, i. p. 175), just e.s five we.s the much controversy, which cannot even now sign of imperfection {ib. pp. 183-187). The be considered (pace Keil : " The correctness very dimensions, consequently, of the house of the number 480 is now pretty generally admitted") as closed. Grave doubts 11re e.re e. testimony…

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SECTION 106

The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Kings — Section 106

692-inete&d o[ 480 yean. 6. The chrono- and labour, and see Jos., Ant. viii. 9. 9, and logy of Josephus - to which by itseH, Dell. Jnd. v. 6. 1. We can ho.rdly be wrong perhaps, no great weight is to be a.tte.ohed, in identifying the rome.rke.ble rook known as agrees with St. Paul's estimate, and o[ the Sakrah, over…

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SECTION 107

The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Kings — Section 107

In f11vour of understanding the cubit here entire front, or east end of the temple) a.nd mentioned RB me11suring 18 inches. Fer- ten cubits wa.s the breadth [i.e., depth] gusson (Diet. Bib. iii. 1451) considers this to thereof before the house. [The height of be beyond question. It is certainly note- the porch, of whic…

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SECTION 108

The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Kings — Section 108

l'i' ; Dan. vi. 10). So Gesenius, De Wette f'00111$. A sort of monastery would seem to Keil, Biilu-, al.] ' have been attached to the temple. So many Ver. 5.-And against [or upon, ~l!; they chambers could hardly have been required rested on the well] the wall of the house for the "preservation of temple stores and […

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SECTION 109

The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Kings — Section 109

eeoulo.r purposes (cubicles, perhaps), made in Dent. xxvii. 6 (cf. Exod. xx. 25) of un- an actual po.rt of the sacred edifice. Any- hewn or virgin stone ; and Gesenius would how, it is cleo.r that the beams rested on so understand the expression here. But ledges made in the walls ; but whether in the the context seems …

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SECTION 110

The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Kings — Section 110

[Heb. the axe] nor a.ny tool [Heb. every house : u.d they went up with wln41ng tool] of iron heard in the house, whlle lt stairs [C 1'i~~ is only found here and in was building. [The hist-0rie.n remn.rks on this, not only because it was so unusual, 2 Chron. iii. The staircase was obviously but with the evident idea…

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SECTION 111

The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Kings — Section 111

Uon that the side structure had a flat roof, The original prom.lee was made by Nathan which is by no means certain. If the roof (2 Sam. vii. 12). It seems exceedingly leaned against the we.lls of the house, with probable that the promise wonld be renewed a low pitch, there would still be space through him if he were st…

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SECTION 112

The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Kings — Section 112

unto the 11,alls," &o. The expression,, walls is generally assumed to be synonymous with of the cieling," thongh it may be taken to MVR~ "squirting oucnmbers 11 (2 Kings iv. mean "the walls where they join the 89, note). Bahr, however, justly observes that cieling," is peculia.r, and the suggestion that a deadly fru…

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SECTION 113

The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Kings — Section 113

impossible in the present state of our know- and whether at the height of twenty or thirty ledgo to arrive at any very positive conclu- cubits-how we.a it supported? For "no sionA, but it may be well, nevertheless, ii cedar beam could be laid across a space of only to show in how much uncertainty the twenty cubits with…

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SECTION 114

The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Kings — Section 114

oracle is significant. In ver. 22 it is called elude the porch, the interior of which wa, the II altar that (belonged) to the oracle," gild~d._ B~cause the porch is elsewhere (ver. becanse it stood just outside it. In the 3) u1strngmshed from the " house " it cloes tabernacle it was placed '' before the vail" not follo…

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SECTION 115

The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Kings — Section 115

touched the other wall, and their wings aignifica.nce of the cherubim, the pelms, touched one another 1n the midst or the and the flowers. house. [In 2 Chron. iii. 10 we o.re told 1. The Cherubim have been rega.rded by the.t the cherubim were of " ime.ge work" some a.a symbols of the invisible Godhead, (the meo.ning of…

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SECTION 116

The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Kings — Section 116

were cree.ted." They were graved] within were covered with gold, we may be sure both and without. [These words, here e.nd in ver. walls aud d,oors would not be without their 30, are generally taken to mean "in the coating of the precious metoJ. Our author oracle and in the house." But it is worthy of does not mention t…

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SECTION 117

The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Kings — Section 117

itself o, proof tbo,t they must bo,ve been sig- known to later ages by the name of ••Solo- nifico,nt], and covered them with gold Jltted mon's Porch" (John x. 23 ; Acts iii. 11 ; upon the carved work [Heb. made straight v. 12). As to the dimensions of these upon the engraved work. Tbo,t is to so,y, the spaces, we are l…

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SECTION 118

The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Kings — Section 118

more permanent form, of the tabernacle of witness (see p. 98), it was also the model and arohetype of the sacred buildings of the Christian faith. In appea.ranoe, no doubt, it was somewhat different-the purposes for which the two edifices were designed were different (p. 101), but the gronnd-plan and general a.rrangeme…

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SECTION 119

The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Kings — Section 119

II. The OFFICEBB of the Jewish Church correspond with the officers of the Christian Church. 11 It is an apostolical tradition that what Aaron and his sons and t.he Levites were in the temple, that our bishops, priests, and deacons claim to be in the Church" (Jerome). No society can exist without at least (1) laws, …

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SECTION 120

The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Kings — Section 120

Baptism (practised among the Jews before our Lord's time) takes the place of circumcision; the Lord's Supper of the Paschal Supper. Just as the rite of circumcision brought the Jewish child into the bond of the covenant, into the visible Clrnrch, so does baptism the Christian child ; otherwise our children would be…

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Public domain historical Pulpit Commentary. Source page identifies the volume as Public Domain; text extracted from its historical PDF.

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Historical Christian writing; not Scripture.